This invention relates to runway surfacing, and particularly to a runway formed from a plurality of interconnected portable fiberglass reinforced polyester mat panels in conjunction with earth anchors and hydraulic tensioning system.
Currently there are a variety of portable airfield landing mats in the prior art literature. However, most such mats are for lightweight aircraft, helicopters and VTO aircraft, and are unsuitable for heavy aircraft. One matting presently in use for surfacing of expeditionary airfields and for rapid runway repair consists of extruded aluminum planks. The aluminum matting planks, however, are difficult to produce and are expensive, and also present a bump profile which causes overstressing of critical components of aircraft which must traverse bomb craters in runways surfaced over with such matting. Other landing mats involve complex laminar and/or mechanical structures which are also difficult and expensive to produce, and do not provide anchoring with a constant tension on the runway while allowing for expansion/contraction.